Fire crews work to keep blaze from reaching east Collier homes

The Flag Pond Fire continues to burn on the west side of Miller Boulevard in Picayune Strand State Forest on Friday, March 23, 2018. Fire vehicles standby for flareups. (Photo: Katie Klann/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

A recreational vehicle was destroyed by the Greenway Fire as it continued to grow in the Sabal Palm area, the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District reported Sunday.

The owner is safe and in contact with the Red Cross, Chief Kingman Schuldt said.

A home had light damage but was saved from the flames.

The blaze was 6,500 acres and 15 percent contained Sunday afternoon after merging with a second wildfire, causing a growth increase and containment gap, the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center reported.

Lightning caused the fire that began Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

A 17-acre fire started in the Sabal Palm Road area Sunday afternoon. Fire crews were working to keep the blaze from reaching the Verona Walk and Winding Cypress communities, although neither was immediately threatened, Schuldt said.

Greater Naples firefighters are patrolling the outer edges of the fire, Schuldt said.

“As it works out more into the forest, (Florida Forestry Service) takes more of a leading position, while we protect structures,” he said Sunday. “Today we anticipate the fire to burn into unpopulated areas.”

(This map shared by the Florida Forest Service this afternoon shows locations of wildfires around Collier County.)

Winds blowing smoke over Naples shifted Sunday afternoon into Monday, said Larry Kelly, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

“We’ll get a little help today and tomorrow as light winds push out of the southeast and east,” he said Sunday. “Later Monday a weak front will come through the area with low chance of rain — only 10 percent. Behind the front it’ll be pretty windy out of the east on Tuesday, pushing the smoke towards Naples again.”

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Colleen Mahmet shared the following video with us. She said, "This was what we awoke to in Reflection Lakes this morning. It’s clearing up now. Still hazy and everything smells like a campfire."
Submitted by Colleen Mahmet

Updates on individual wildfires

Firefighters continued to work on wildfires across Collier County on Sunday. Following is an update on the status of some of these fires as provided by the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center as of Sunday afternoon:

116th Ave SE Fire had grown to 7,200 acres with 45 percent contained. One structure is currently threatened and a hunting camp has been destroyed, according to the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center. Firefighters continue to work to increase containment. The fire started from a lightning strike.

Greenway Fire has grown to 6,500 acres and 15 percent contained. The Greenway fire merged with a second wildfire, causing acreage to increase and containment to decrease. On Saturday, Sabal Palm residents east of Naples were warned as the fire neared. A 17-acre fire has started in the Sabal Palm Road area today and crews are working to keep the blaze from reaching the Verona Walk and Winding Cypress communities.

West Boundary Fire is holding at 2,200 acres and 50 percent contained. Bulldozers continue to establish containment lines on the north side of the wildfire while crews monitor containment for the rest of the wildfire.

FlagPondFire is 90 percent contained. Lightning also caused the fire.

Road closures

These are the roads closed to the public due to the fires as of Sunday afternoon:

52nd Avenue Southeast to Sabal Palm

Everglades Boulevard

The Caloosahatchee Forestry Center advises that residents should follow media and official Twitter channels for news of any potential evacuations. There are no evacuation orders as of late Sunday afternoon, but residents should be prepared in the event of a wind shift.